Florida Football: Anthony Richardson’s last home game is (probably) today

As the season winds down for the Florida Gators, many members of the Florida football team will be taking the field today in The Swamp for the last time ever. For the seniors that know this is it, it is a sentimental moment today is the culmination of four or five years (or six if you’re Ventrell Miller).

But for Anthony Richardson, today will also probably be his last time running out of the tunnel in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. He won’t have quite the same fanfare because he is not a senior, but Gator fans need to cherish their last glimpse of Richardson before he (probably) departs for the NFL next season.

Florida Football: Circle of life

Let’s state the obvious, Florida football know that Anthony Richardson is a freakish athlete with freakish arm strength. After begging and pleading for Richardson to play over Emory Jones last season, there was no question who was going to be the starter this season.

And in his first start ever inside The Swamp against Utah, Richardson announced to the country he was going to be special.

There were bumps in the road after this. The loss to Kentucky, quite frankly, can be pinned on Richardson. The escape against USF was in part because of Richardson. The first half against Missouri wasn’t the greatest either.

But when locked in and healthy, Richardson has been able to do things this season very few QB’s around the country are able to do. And if Florida’s defense didn’t melt down against LSU and Tennessee, we would be talking about Richardson’s season as one of the top 10 seasons from a Gator QB.

The unfortunate reality for Florida football fans is that as Richardson is hitting his stride in the back half of the season, his NFL draft stock is rising with it. Various mock drafts have Richardson pegged as high as the number three overall pick.

If a player is projected inside the first round, they go. Given his own injury history and concerns, there is too much money that will be placed on the table for Richardson to turn down.

He would absolutely benefit from another season of development in Gainesville. His accuracy and decision making still need seasoning as well as having to mental fortitude to not shut down like it appeared he did against Kentucky.

One more year in Gainesville would allow incoming QBs Marcus Stokes and Jaden Rashada a year to develop and battle it out before one of them would have to step up and take the reigns. 20 years ago that’s what would have happened. But that’s not how college football and the NFL work today.

So if you are inside The Swamp today, do yourself a favor and take an extra picture of number 15. Take an extra video too. Maybe Richardson just loves being a Gator and stays, but if this is it for AR inside The Swamp it’s been quite the ride in just one year.

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